1. Field of Invention
This invention relates generally to three-dimensional shape representations and more particularly to applying a shape transformation to a representation of an appliance for a living body.
2. Description of Related Art
Prostheses and orthoses are commonly produced from three-dimensional representations of a body part of a human or an animal. The three-dimensional representation may then be manipulated on a computer using a three dimensional (3D) shape editing program to produce a modified representation of the body part. The modified representation may be used to generate instructions for controlling a carving machine that is configured to directly produce a prosthesis appliance from wood, or to produce a polyurethane mold for making an orthosis appliance, for example. An orthosis is an appliance that is applied externally to a body part to correct deformity, improve function, or relieve symptoms of a disease by supporting or assisting the musculo-neuro-skeletal system. A prosthesis is an appliance that replaces a missing body part.
The three-dimensional representation of the body part may be produced using a non-contact optical scanner that images the body part with a high level of accuracy. The scanner may include a laser for illuminating the body part with structured light and a video camera for capturing images of the illuminated body part. The captured images may then be processed to extract three-dimensional coordinates of the surface of the body part, which may be used in turn to produce the appliance.